Welcome to Calgary, Glen Gulutzan. The Flames have a new head coach.

Calgary Flames new head coach Glen Gulutzan during a press conference in Calgary, Alta., on Friday June 17, 2016. Leah Hennel/Postmedia

Photograph by: Leah Hennel
, Calgary Herald

Glen Gulutzan is getting the white-hat treatment.

Welcome to Calgary, Coach.

After a six-plus week search, the Calgary Flames officially announced Friday that the 44-year-old Gulutzan — a former bench boss for the Dallas Stars and an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks for the past three campaigns — has been hired as the 16th head coach in franchise history.

“It became very clear, meeting with Glen early, that this is a perfect match,” said Flames GM Brad Treliving.

“This is an individual who is smart,” Treliving said. “He’s intelligent about the game, tactically and structurally. The interpersonal skills are what jumped out to me — his ability to communicate to people, his ability to drive players.”

Calgary Flames new head coach Glen Gulutzan, right, and general manager Brad Treliving during a press conference in Calgary, Alta., on Friday June 17, 2016. Leah Hennel/Postmedia

Gulutzan is now in charge of improving upon the Flames’ disappointing 2015-16 campaign, which followed their upstart 2014-15 season and second-round playoff appearance. He replaces Bob Hartley, the 2015 Jack Adams Award winner, who was fired on May 3.

“For me, it’s a team that is on the cusp,” Gulutzan said of the Flames.

Perhaps, a coach on the cusp, too.

“I think this is his time now,” Treliving said. “Where our team is, the makeup of our team, the makeup of this individual … I think it’s a great fit.”

Gulutzan posted a 64-57-9 in record in two seasons as the Stars’ lead man, but the boys from the Big D missed the playoffs in both.

“It was a great experience. That was my introduction to the NHL and when you’re a head coach, it’s a trial by fire,” Gulutzan said at Friday’s introductory press conference.

“I could write you a long list of what I know I did well. I could write you a list of what I know I would change. But at the end of the day, the biggest thing is experience,” he said. “In Dallas, I had Jamie Benn as a young superstar there. I had Jaromir Jagr. I had Ray Whitney. And all those guys teach you a little bit of something about the league and the league.”

Prior to his two-year stint in Dallas, Gulutzan was head coach of the Stars’ farm club from 2009 to 2011 and guided them to the Calder Cup final in 2010.

He also spent six seasons as the head coach and general manager of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the East Coast Hockey League, the one-time ECHL affiliate for the Calgary Flames.

“I thought he was a great coach,” recalled Flames defenceman Deryk Engelland, who spent two seasons under Gulutzan’s tutelage in Sin City.

“I think he was a big part of me taking a big step in my career,” saidEngelland. “I came in and he had me slotted as a six, seven defenceman. By the end of the year, I was playing in a top-four role in all situations. A big part of that was him helping me develop and doing the little things after practice.

“He’s a great guy and brings a lot of things to the table as a coach. If he’s (the Flames) guy, I’ll be excited to see him.”

Gulutzan skated for parts of five winters in the Western Hockey League — coincidentally, playing against Treliving at one point — including a stint as captain for the Saskatoon Blades. He also suited up for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and played minor-pro in North America and Europe.

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